


The Most Brilliant Stars

by wordsaplenty



Series: VLD Whump Week [4]
Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Blind Character, Gen, Gender-Neutral Pronouns for Pidge | Katie Holt, Hurt Keith (Voltron), Hurt/Comfort, Keith (Voltron) Whump, Torture, Whump
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-08-26
Updated: 2017-08-26
Packaged: 2018-12-20 02:37:37
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,442
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11911455
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/wordsaplenty/pseuds/wordsaplenty
Summary: We Galra have many advanced methods of interrogation and torture.  But me, I’m a fan of more, old fashioned, techniques.His hands settled on a serrated knife, at least six inches long.“So, Red Paladin,” he sneered, moving to stand next to Keith, “I believe it would be a waste of my time to ask you questions.  You do not seem to be the type to let go of secrets.”  Suddenly he plunged the knife into Keith’s shoulder, giving it a twist.**Belated Entry to VLD Whump Week: Day Four: Torture





	The Most Brilliant Stars

Keith was grateful that, even though the situation was less than ideal, at least he and Pidge hadn’t been separated. After they had been stripped of their armor the Galra had pushed them both into the same cell.

Keith looked down at his cuffed hands and tried to see if there was any way he could break free. After tugging experimentally he had to admit that he wasn’t going to be able to break out of the cuffs.

Looking over at Pidge he noticed they had a look of fierce concentration on their face as they examined the cuffs.

Checking the location of possible cameras in the cell Keith moved so he was hunched in front of Pidge. 

“How’s it going Pidge?” Keith asked, keeping his voice low and working to shield his face from any Galra who might be watching or listening in.

Pidge kept their face down, staring intently at the cuffs around their wrists. “I have an idea about how to get these off, really it shouldn’t be that difficult. Problem is we don’t have any tools in here that I could use.”

“What do you need?”

Pidge seemed to collect their thoughts for a moment before saying, “Either something that has an electrical charge to it or a thin piece of metal, both would be preferable but I can make do with one or the other.”

Keith took another look around their small cell to make sure there was nothing lying around that they could use. Their cell was completely bare. Just walls and a floor. No chairs or benches or beds or even a latrine.

Pidge looked up at Keith for the first time since they had been ambushed and carted away from the planet they had been working to protect.

“Sorry Keith, I wish there was more I could do but unless we can get a hold of those things then we’re just stuck.”

Keith moved so he was sitting next to Pidge. Leaning his back against the wall he moved his cuffed arms up and over their head, pulling them in to lean against his chest.  
Resting his head on theirs Keith murmured, “Don’t worry Pidge, I’ll get you the supplies you need. And if I can’t then we’ll just have to sit tight and wait cause I know our team is on their way as we speak.”

Pidge just sighed and relaxed onto Keith’s chest, keeping an eye on the door to their cell, waiting to see what the Galra had in store for them.

***  
Keith wasn’t sure how long they had been in their cell. At least a day, possibly more. They had only been given one meal so far, some kind of slop reminiscent of porridge in looks alone. One bite and both he and Pidge had decided it was better to just leave it.

Pidge was curled up, asleep with their head on Keith’s lap when the door to their cell suddenly opened. In marched a Galra flanked by two sentries. 

There was only one reason that the Galra would be coming to their cell and Keith was going to do all he could to control the situation and spin it in their favor. Before the Galra could say anything Keith was jumping to his feet. Pidge’s head bounced audibly off the floor after falling from Keith’s lap but he had no time to worry about that then. With a scream Keith threw himself at the Galra in front of them, attacking haphazardly.

He was quickly restrained by the sentinels but not before his cuffed wrists had met the Galra’s mouth. Being restrained didn’t stop him from kicking out and screaming at the Galra in front of him. He needed to keep the attention on him. The Galra needed to forget all about Pidge and focus his attention on him alone. Pidge didn’t deserve whatever was about to happen next.

“When I came in here, young Paladin, I was unsure of who I would choose, thank you for making the decision for me.”

Keith was overcome with anxiety and fear. What if his plan had backfired and the Galra was about to grab Pidge? 

“Take the Red Paladin. Oh it will be fun to break you.”

The sentries started to drag Keith from the cell. Keith looked back at Pidge who was starting to rise, looking like they were going to do something reckless. He shook his head, hoping they would understand and to just leave it to him.

The Galra had watched this exchange closely. When Keith turned back around the Galra leaned down to whisper in his ear, “Don’t worry, you will get to see the Green Paladin again, I will enjoy breaking him in front of you.”

Stepping back the Galra turned and led the way. Keith could only stare on in terror.

***

The sentries dragged Keith into what was clearly an interrogation room. There was a metal chair in the middle of the room. Next to the chair was a metal tray, filled with all sorts of instruments from knives to needles. 

This was his chance. He needed to get something back to Pidge so that they could unlock their cuffs and escape. As they neared the chair Keith shoved his shoulder into the sentry to his right, causing the sentry to fall over. Keith also lost his balance and fell directly on the metal tray of instruments.

He could hear the Galra shouting what must have been Galran obscenities to the sentries. Cold metal hands pulled him up and shoved him into the chair. The cuffs were separated and then locked onto the arms of the chair. 

“That was a bad decision boy,” the Galra snarled in his face.

Keith stared back defiantly.

When the sentries finished picking up the tray and tools that Keith had fallen into the Galra went over and stared at each tool. Sometimes he would pick up a knife and hold it to the light, then shove it toward Keith. Keith just watched on, waiting for the Galra to make his pick.

“We Galra have many advanced methods of interrogation and torture. But me, I’m a fan of more, old fashioned, techniques. 

His hands settled on a serrated knife, at least six inches long.

“So, Red Paladin,” he sneered, moving to stand next to Keith, “I believe it would be a waste of my time to ask you questions. You do not seem to be the type to let go of secrets.” Suddenly he plunged the knife into Keith’s shoulder, giving it a twist. 

Fire! That was the only way Keith could describe the pain in his shoulder. It was burning hot and the pain only seemed to double when he pulled the knife back out.

Panting Keith looked up at the Galra, defiantly watching his every move.

The Galra simply laughed. “Oh yes, I knew I made the right choice with you boy. I will enjoy cutting away at you piece,” the knife slashed across his chest, “by piece,” the knife was pushed into his thigh, “by piece,” the knife scratched across his cheek, nicking his ear as well. 

Keith bit his tongue, refusing to let out more than a grunt of pain, he would not give the Galra the satisfaction.

Soon Keith had lost not only track of time, but also of the number of cuts and gashes that the Galra had given him. Against his will his eyes were beginning to shut. He wasn’t sure how much longer he could stay awake. No, he needed to stay awake. He needed to get back to Pidge. He needed to help Pidge escape. He needed to stay awake.  
Forcing his eyes back open he glared up at the Galra who had just finished running the knife along his ribs on his right side.

“Hmmm, you want to close your eyes for a bit Paladin, I think I can help you with that.”

Keith wasn’t sure what the Galra meant at first. He watched as the knife was lifted toward his face. No! 

“No, no, no!” Keith was screaming. He tried to move his head back as far as he could, moving it from side to side. Suddenly, cold metal hands grabbed his head, keeping it still. 

The knife coming closer and closer was the last thing Keith saw before white hot pain flashed across his face and everything turned to black.

***

Consciousness came suddenly, and with it pain like Keith had never felt before. His face, his body, his eyes all hurt. He couldn’t open his eyes. The pain was just too much. He screamed. It was dark, everything hurt, his face hurt, his eyes hurt. He couldn’t open his eyes. He couldn’t stop screaming.

“…eith, ….ease sto … Keith!”

Hands landed on his cheeks but he just screamed louder as the pain increase tenfold. The hands moved to his shoulder. 

After what felt like hours, his screams quieted. Not because the pain had stopped or because he wanted to stop screaming but because his throat would no longer let him make any sounds. Now that he couldn’t scream anymore he needed to take stock of his situation. He noticed that his head was on someone’s lap and that hands rested on his shoulder.

“Pidge, that you?” His voice didn’t sound like his anymore. It was gravely and rough and barely loud enough for him to hear.

“Yeah, Keith, I’m here,” Pidge sobbed out. Keith could tell that they were trying not to, that they were trying to be calm, but they were clearly upset.

“S’okay,” he reached up, noticing that his hands were no longer cuffed together. Who needs to cuff a blind prisoner?

Pidge started shaking uncontrollably, jostling Keith’s head slightly where it rested in their lap.

“It’s not,” they sobbed, “your eyes, Keith!”

“I know.” Talking hurt, but then again, so did everything on his body. Maybe it was shock, maybe it was the fact that he still needed to look out for Pidge, but Keith knew he couldn’t dwell on his eyes right then. 

“Got you a present,” he mumbled. He moved his arm up toward Pidge’s hands that were still on his shoulder.

“What?” Pidge’s sobs were beginning to slow down.

“Sleeve.”

Keith was worried that maybe Pidge wouldn’t understand. Who was he kidding, this was Pidge he was talking about, of course they’d understand.

And Pidge did. Reaching for Keith’s sleeve they pushed it up slightly revealing a needle that Keith had managed to grab when he had fallen on the tray of tools.

No more time for talking. Pidge grabbed the needle and got to work on their cuffs. Keith let his mind drift, resting as comfortably as he could when his body still felt like it was on fire. Pidge would have to leave him behind. There was no way he could run through the Galra ship blind. No way he could pilot his lion. His breath hitched in his chest. I can’t pilot my lion. I can’t be a paladin. We can’t form Voltron. 

As his thoughts started to spiral out of control he heard a soft click above his head. Pidge let out a quiet cheer.

“Keith,” Pidge leaned down to whisper in his ear, “I did it, Keith I got my cuffs off!”

He smiled up at Pidge. “Good job Pidge. Now get outta here.”

He felt Pidge tense up behind him.

“No,” they whispered fiercely, “not without you!”

“I can’t Pidge. I’m no use anymore. This is your chance. Leave me here, get to a pod, and contact the team.”

“Not without you!” Pidge repeated.

“Pidge,” Keith pleaded.

“No, whatever you’re thinking no! We’ll get you to a pod, you’ll be good as new in no time. I am not leaving you behind because you’ve got some weird sacrifice complex!”

Before Keith could argue the floor beneath them jolted. In the distance there was a faint roar.

“They’re here, Keith, the team is here. We’re getting outta here, together!”

Pidge eased his head off of their lap and moved to help him sit up. He thought he had a handle on the pain. He was wrong. Moving woke his body up to all the pain it had been trying to forget existed and Keith was left gasping against the wall of their cell. 

Pidge left his side and he could hear them off somewhere in front of him, but he couldn’t tell what they were doing.

The floor shook again. The roaring seemed to be getting louder.

Keith heard the door to their cell hiss open. His breaths came faster and faster. He couldn’t protect Pidge! Pidge was somewhere in front of him facing off again the Galra and he couldn’t help.

His breath rasped through his throat faster and faster. He couldn’t control it. He couldn’t do anything. He was useless!

Someone was grabbing his shoulders. He struggled weakly but everything hurt and he couldn’t breath and Pidge was in trouble and he was useless!

“Wha… do Lan… he’s not ….alming dow..”

Words started to filter through but he just couldn’t understand them all. 

Something cold and hard was shoved over his head. A new voice appeared, he needed to calm his breathing, he couldn’t hear over his breathing.

“Keith, Keith can you hear me?”

“Sh-Shiro?”

“Yeah buddy, listen I know it’s hard but you need to calm down. Lance is there with you and Pidge right now. He’s gonna get you two outta there okay? Breathe with me Keith, you  
can do it.”

Keith listened as Shiro helped him focus and calm his breathing.

“Sh-Shiro I, I c-can’t…” Keith wasn’t sure what he meant by that. Can’t breathe? Can’t move? Can’t see?

“Keith, you are the strongest person I know. We are getting you two outta here but you gotta help Lance. You’re going to have to walk as much as you can. You can do it. Give Lance his helmet back and he and Pidge will get you back to the rest of us. Then we’re all going home.”

Keith reached up slowly, with arms that pulsed with pain, and tried to push the helmet off his head. He couldn’t, his arms were too weak.

“Here buddy, let me help you out there,” Lance, it must be Lance, pulled the helmet from his head.

“Keith?” Pidge’s voice came from his other side. “We’re getting out of here. We’ll help you stand up then we’ll help you walk back to the others.”

Lance and Pidge helped him stand, his arms were draped across their shoulders, which pulled at his wounds on his chest and arms.

Lance was constantly chattering away as they made their way through the ship. Keith couldn’t focus on what he was saying, he had to focus on putting one foot in front of the other. Soon he was simply dragging his feet, no longer having the energy to lift his feet. It felt like fire was spreading under his skin, scorching his entire body.  
Keith realized that he had stopped moving his feet, that he was simply being dragged now. That’s fine. A cloud seemed to be passing through his mind, making it harder and harder to think. The cloud got thicker and thicker until everything, the pain, the anger, the anxiety, all just faded away.

***

Keith was falling forward, he put his hands up bracing for impact only to be stopped by a solid chest and arms.

“Keith?”

“Shiro, what happened?” Keith slowly opened his eye, but everything was dark. He pressed his eyes closed and tried again, still dark. He tried again and again getting more frantic. He pushed out of Shiro’s arm and reached up to touch his face and eyes. Again and again he tried and again and again all he saw was black.

“Shiro, I can’t, I can’t see.” This couldn’t be right. He was starting to remember what had happened on the ship, but obviously he’d been in a pod, his eyes should be fixed, everything else was fixed.

He heard gasps all around him.

“Who’s… Shiro?” He reached his hands out, trying to find Shiro again, but all he found was air.

“Everyone’s here buddy. Lance and Hunk are at your two o’clock, Pidge is at your ten o’clock and Allura and Coran are behind me at your twelve o’clock.”

“Why, the pod,” he paused to collect his thoughts, “it didn’t work Shiro, why didn’t it work?”

“Ah my boy, allow me to answer that question,” Coran’s voice called out from behind Shiro.

“The pod worked hard to heal you, it was able to take care of the wounds throughout your body. Unfortunately there is only so much that can be done. Your eyes, the very  
structure of them was irreparably damaged. I’m sorry my boy but the pod was, and is, unable to fix them.”  
A sob escaped Keith’s clenched teeth. 

“Don’t worry!” Pidge’s voice called out to his left, “I’m working on something, well Hunk and I are working on something, goggles maybe one day glasses. The hope is that they can bypass your eyes and directly transmit visual images to your brain. It, I, we can’t make any promises but Keith,” as Pidge had talked they had moved closer to Keith and they gently grabbed his hand in theirs, “I won’t stop until I fix this. It’s all my fault and I will fix this!”

This was a lot to take in. He was blind, his eyes would never work again, but if he knew anything with any certainty it was that Pidge was a genius and, between them and Hunk, they would come up with something. Right?

Keith softly tugged Pidge’s hand, pulling them into his chest and wrapping his arms tightly around them.

“Not your fault, you saved us.”

Pidge didn’t say anything but their shoulders began to quake and Keith could just make out muffled sobs against his chest.

When Pidge’s sobs lessened Keith stepped away from them and turned to face where he assumed the rest of the team were standing.

“I think I’m just gonna head to my room.”

Not waiting for an answer he started walking forward, determined to make it to his room on his own power. He had been living in this castle for long enough to have it memorized, right? He could and would make it to his room on his own. Also he needed to leave before he completely broke down in front of them.

The other paladins started protesting as soon as he began to walk in, what he hoped was, the direction of the door leading out of the infirmary. He ignored them as best he could, only listening in when he heard Shiro’s soft, “let him go.”

He had to be close to the door. Honestly he should have run into something by now. Reaching his arms out in front of him he found nothing but air. He let out a huff of frustration, he had to be going in the right direction. But, if he’d been going in the right direction he’d definitely have run into the wall by now.

“Turn to your left buddy,” Lance suddenly called out.

Keith whipped violently around, “I don’t need you telling me where to go. I’ve got this!”

He moved purposefully to his right, and ran smack into a wall.

“Keith?” said a voice directly behind him.

Keith startled at the sudden voice but then quickly pushed out at Shiro, knocking him away from him.

“I said I’m fine, I can do this on my own!” He turned in a new direction and walked directly into another wall. He fell back into Shiro’s arms and immediately started struggling.

“Let me go, let me go!”

“Keith,” Shiro said calmly, “Let me get you to the door. I’ll let you go on your own then but just, let me get you to the door.”

Keith hung his head and stopped struggling. Shiro got the hint and led Keith to the door.

After letting go of Keith’s arm and making sure he was pointed in the correct direction Shiro backed away.

Keith strode forward confidently, sure he could feel the eyes of his team on the back of his head. When he heard the door of the infirmary swish closed behind him he let his shoulders slump, curling in on himself, grabbing his arms in a rough hug.

He couldn’t break down yet. He needed to get to his room. Then he could worry about what was next for him. 

He began walking, keeping his left hand on the wall, counting the doors he passed. He found himself in front of a door that he believed was his room. Opening the door he walked. After two steps he knew for a fact that this wasn’t his room. He ran into a shelf. He was in a closet. 

Yelling at the top of his lungs Keith starting pulling things off the shelves and throwing them to the ground around him. He continued yelling long after he had thrown everything off the shelves. His voice failed him and he was suddenly brought back to the Galra ship, to the last time he had screamed and screamed until his voice had failed him. He stumbled, tripping over the stuff he had thrown on the ground, and fell back into the wall before sliding to the floor.

He had nothing left. No energy, no motivation. Everything that he was was gone because some Galra had decided to swipe away his eyes. How could he pilot now? They wouldn’t be able to form Voltron, because of him! By letting this happen he had failed them all.

Keith stayed curled up in some closet on the castle ship for minutes? hours? He couldn’t tell and it really didn’t matter. No one needed him anymore. He was useless.  
He couldn’t stop himself from flinching when the door opened without warning. He curled in further, only just realizing something wet was running down his face.  
Shiro, of course it was Shiro, he didn’t need his eyes to know that. His presence spoke volumes. Shiro leaned down and, without saying a word, picked Keith up and carried him to his room.

Soon enough he felt himself being set down on his own bed and Shiro was moving away. He wasn’t sure why, but he reached out and tried to grab Shiro’s arm. His fingers scraped against fabric but he was just shy of being able to catch it.

“Shiro,” he called out, barely suppressing the panic that spread through his body as he realized he didn’t want to be alone, that he couldn’t be alone.

Slowly, gently, a hand grabbed his. Sobbing, Keith tugged Shiro onto his bed, clawing at his shirt, pulling him flush to him. 

It was like the wall that had been surrounding him had crumbled down. All the pain, fear, anger, confusion, and helplessness spilled out all at once. Shiro seemed to know exactly what he needed. He was supportive, rubbing his hands up and down Keith’s back and just letting him grieve for all he had lost.  
When Keith felt that he had nothing left to give, he untangled his fingers from the back of Shiro’s shirt.

“What do I do now?” he whispered.

Shiro’s grip tightened as he whispered, “You live.”

***

It was by no means easy. The first week saw Keith hiding in his room, only letting Shiro in to bring him food. They talked, but not about what had happened or what he would do now that he was useless to the team.

Week two saw the paladins invading his room, not giving him a single second to wallow in self-pity. 

Pidge stopped by every morning, dragging him to their make shift lab. Then he listened to them and Hunk throwing out all sorts of technical jargon and had to endure them putting all sorts of contraptions on his head. All he knew was that they were trying to map his brain and figure out a way to connect the goggles to his brain. He honestly couldn’t tell if they were making progress or not but Pidge and Hunk both seemed optimistic.

When they were done poking and prodding his head Hunk would drag him to get something to eat, forcing him to sit with the paladins and enjoy a team lunch. 

Coran would then drag Keith off to keep him company while he fine-tuned the different systems in the castle. He would ramble on about various things that had happened in his life that Keith had a hard time believing had actually happened.

Lance surprised Keith the most. Lance dragged him to the training deck each day. At first Keith was indignant, how dare Lance shove it in his face that he could no longer protect his team.

“Dude, I’ve watched like every ninja show and movie ever and there’s always a blind dude who kicks ass. Your eyes might not work but your ears do, so we’re going to start working on improving your hearing.”

And so started Lance’s hearing training. It involved Keith standing in the middle of the training deck with a staff attempting to hit Lance before Lance hit him. At first Lance wore stuff on his wrists and legs that jangled, but as the days wore on and Keith began hitting Lance more than he was getting hit, Lance started to remove the bangles.  
Shiro was his rock, he mapped the castle with him, helping him count steps and learn how to get around on his own. He stayed with him each night, listened to his doubts and his concerns, and supported him in everything he did.

Allura, well, if Keith was honest he was avoiding Allura. He knew that he could no longer be a true paladin of Voltron since there was no way he could pilot Red. Just because he knew this didn’t mean he wanted to hear Allura say it to him.

It was the end of week three when he was finally cornered by Allura. It was after dinner, the other paladins had already dispersed and Keith was slowly making his way back to his room. He heard soft steps behind him which could only be from Allura, everyone else were rather heavy footed Keith had learned. Ten more steps and he’d be back in his room. He quickened his steps hoping to make it there before Allura stopped him. 

“Keith, may I have a moment of your time?”

He was two steps away, he could just rush into his room and pretend he hadn’t heard her.

“Please Keith.”

With a sigh Keith turned toward Allura.

“What is it princess?”

“I’ve been meaning to speak with you. How are you doing?”

“With all due respect princess I don’t believe that you came to simply ask me how I’m doing.”

Allura sighed, “No, I guess you are correct. I’ll get right to the point Keith. I’m afraid that, due to current circumstances, you will no longer be able to pilot the Red Lion. We will see  
if the Red Lion will accept me as their new pilot, if not we will see if one of the other paladins will suffice.”

That stung. She didn’t even try to sugarcoat it, just ripped away everything he had been working for over the past several months.

“I understand princess.” Keith turned around and took the final two steps to his door.

“I’m sorry this is the way things turned out. I wish things were different Keith but we have a duty to the universe, we need to be able to form Voltron and as you are unable to…”

“I get it,” Keith shouted. “I get it,” he said quieter. “Excuse me princess but I’m tired, I going to go to bed.”

Without waiting for a reply Keith went into his room and immediately curled up on his bed. He knew this was coming, he knew that it was only a matter of time before he was replaced, but it still hurt.

That’s how Shiro found him later, still curled up on his bed, hugging his knees to his chest. Without a word Shiro joined him. Gently running his fingers through Keith’s soft hair. 

After a while Keith uncurled and turned to face Shiro.

“I’m no longer Red’s pilot. Obviously this was going to happen, I knew it would happen, but it still hurts.”

“You’ve been doing an amazing job training with Lance, maybe there’s a way we could do something similar with your lion,” Shiro suggested.

“Wouldn’t work. The only way I’ll ever get to pilot again is if Pidge figures out their goggles. But since that doesn’t seem like it’ll happen anytime soon and since Red can’t exactly be my eyes, I’m grounded.”

Shiro sat up suddenly. “Say that again!”

“What, that I’m grounded? Thanks for rubbing it in Shiro.”

“No back up more, what did you say about Red?”

“That Red can’t be my eyes.”

Shiro stood up and from the sound of his feet on the floor Keith could tell he was pacing. 

After a moment of pacing Shiro stopped and exclaimed, “That’s it! Keith you’re a genius!”

“What do you mean?”

“I mean you’re going to fly again!”

***

Shiro called a team meeting first thing in the morning to share his idea.

“Remember right after we got our lions, when we were having trouble forming Voltron, Coran and Allura had us do all those different training exercises?” Shiro asked.

“Who could forget!” Lance called out.

“What does that have to do with helping Keith fly again?” Pidge asked.

“Remember that exercise where Coran blacked out our helmets? We were flying blind but if you concentrated on your connection to your lion…”

Keith interrupted Shiro excitedly, catching on to what he was saying, “then you could see through your lions eyes!”

Keith heard a slap from Pidge’s direction, they in all likelihood had slapped a hand to their forehead.

“How did I not think of that?” they moaned.

“What an excellent idea Shiro my boy! Though, I hate to be the bearer of bad news but that technique often takes years to learn.”

“No,” Keith stood up, “Shiro got it to work on his first try. If it means I have a chance to pilot again I’m willing to try.”

It was decided that Shiro, being the only one among them to successfully accomplish this technique, would go with Keith. Keith clung to him as they went down the zip line to Red’s hanger. Once in the lion Keith took his seat in front of the controls. Shiro stood right behind him.

With Shiro’s help, Keith flew Red out of the hanger. Once in space they stopped and Keith asked Shiro to go over the directions again.

“You need to concentrate on your connection to Red. Imagine that you two are completely intertwined. Once you two have a strong connection you should be able to see what she sees. Remember patience…”

“Yields focus, I remember.”

Shiro huffed out a laugh, “Yeah I guess you do. But listen Keith, if it doesn’t work this time we can always try again, and we’ll keep trying till it works.”

Keith sighed, “I know but, is it wrong of me to hope that this works right away?”

“Not at all,” Shiro said, resting his hand on Keith’s shoulder.

“Alright, here goes nothing.”

Keith tried to calm his mind first. He worked to push away all his anxieties and negative thoughts. He needed to be able to focus solely on his connection with red and he couldn’t  
do that if he was thinking about how this was unlikely to work.

His mind cleared he reached out to Red, feeling the edge of their connection. He tried to imagine them getting closer, becoming one. It seemed to be working, he could feel Red’s presence all around him. But then Red flinched back, away from his mind.

Keith growled in frustration, this was a pointless idea, of course this wouldn’t work. The hand on his shoulder squeezed comfortingly.

“Patience yields focus,” Keith whispered to himself. He couldn’t give up. Shiro was right, no matter how many tries or however long it will take, he would not give up on creating a connection with Red.

His mind clear he tried again. Red’s presence folded around him like a snug blanket. He relished in the feeling of closeness. It was as if they were one being, working in tandem.

Slowly Keith opened his eyes. 

All around him were the most brilliant stars he had ever seen.

**Author's Note:**

> So...this got a lot longer than I expected. I'm a little worried I rushed the ending but whatever. Comment if you like!


End file.
